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SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION & IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL QUALITY

A PORTRAIT OF GENDER ROLE IN THE GLASS MENAGERIE PLAY

A FINAL PROJECT

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Sarjana Sastra in English

by

EVA ENDAH NURWAHYUNI

2211411017

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS

SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY

2015

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MOTTO AND DEDICATION

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you

must keep moving.”

(Albert Einstein)

This final project is dedicated to my parents,

My grandparents, my sister, and myself.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to express my highest gratitude to Allah SWT, the most

merciful and the most almighty, for the compassion, love, blessing, luck and

strength. And also because of the guidance, I can accomplish my final project.

My deepest gratitude and appreciation are to Prayudias Margawati S.Pd.,

M.Hum. as my advisor for her entire patience, guidance, encouragement, and also

time throughout the process of accomplishing my final project in regard to my

endeavor to make this study as comprehensive as possible.

My biggest salutation is to the chairperson, secretary, and the examiners of

my board of examination. I give my special honor to the head of English

Department and the lecturers in Semarang State University for the precious

lesson, time, and also guidance during my study.

My deepest love and prayer are always to my beloved mom and dad for

their irreplaceable care, unstoppable prayers and the biggest support for me. My

deepest love is also to my beloved sister and grandparents for their entire support

and prayer for me. Last but not least, my special thanks go to Euca Yuwandana

and all of my friends in English Department for the entire support, prayers,

companion and togetherness.

Finally, I hope this final project report will be useful for the readers.

Therefore, I hope criticisms and suggestions for its betterment.

Eva Endah Nurwahyuni

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ABSTRACT

Eva Endah Nurwahyuni. 2015. Social Construction & Impact on Individual

Quality: a Portrait of Gender Role in The Glass Menagerie Play. Final

Project. English Department. Faculty of Languages and Arts, Semarang

State University. Advisor: Prayudias Margawati, S.Pd., M. Hum.

Keywords: Gender roles, socialization, gender differences

This final project is about the role of mother as primary agent of socialization in

constructing the concept of gender roles toward her children. She sets certain

standards that she wants her children to follow the values of Southern American

culture that she has adopted in society around her. This final project is divided

into two objectives. First, the study intends to explain how the gender role concept

constructed toward the children as represented in The Glass Menagerie play.

Second, the aim of this study is to identify the consequences of gender role

differences that profoundly affect the quality of individual lives as reflected in the

play.

I employed Tennessee William‘s The Glass Menagerie play as the object

of my study. This study is a qualitative study with Sociological approach. The

data were in a form of words, phrases, sentences, and dialogues. They were

collected by reading the script of the drama thoroughly, interpreting, triangulating,

identifying, inventorying, and reporting the data. Moreover, the data were also

gained through reading some related sources, such as theoretical books, articles,

essays, and journals. Some relevant theories were also used to support the analysis

and answer the statements of problem.

This study results in several findings. First, parents are one of the

influential agents of socialization in constructing the concept of gender role for

the children. In The Glass Menagerie play, gender role socialization has great

influence in creating the concept of gender. This socialization is conducted by

mother in some ways. It can be through her advices, plans also some actions. In

fact, parents exert strong influences on individual in perceiving gender role

concept. Masculine and feminine are quite conventional and the expectation

connected to each gender becomes important to fulfill. People have to follow this

certain standards to be socially accepted. Second, the presence of gender roles

give consequences in life. It creates different gap toward men and women

existence because women tend to be more dependent on men. In addition, they are

also powerless and subordinate to men. The entire drama focuses on gender

division which makes the sexes stand sharply apart. As a result, this condition also

leads men to experience the pressure for being the breadwinner of the family

during the economic crisis. In fact, unequal position and economic power

heightens gender-based social inequalities.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPROVAL …………………………………………………………………. ii

PERNYATAAN ……………………………………………………………... iii

MOTTO AND DEDICATION ……………………………………………... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………………………………. v

ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………….. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………….. vii

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………… 1

1.1 Background of the Study ………………………………………………….. 1

1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic ………………………………………….. 4

1.3 Statements of the Problem ……………………………………………….. 5

1.4 Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………………. 5

1.5 Significance of the Study …………………………………………………. 6

1.6 Outline of the Study Report ..…………………………………………….. 6

II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………………………... 8

2.1 Review of Previous Studies ……………………………………………….. 8

2.2 Theoretical Background …………………………………………………..

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2.2.1 Definition of Drama ……………………………………………………... 11

2.2.2 Gender .………………………………………...………………………... 13

2.2.2.1 Gender Role ………………………………………………………….. 15

2.2.2.2 Gender Stereotype …………………………………………………… 15

2.2.3 Socialization …………………………………………………………… 16

2.2.3.1 Gender Socialization …………………………………………………. 18

2.2.3.2 Agents of Socialization ………………………………………………. 19

2.2.4 Sociology and Literature ………………………………………………. 21

2.3 Framework of Analysis …………………………………………………… 24

III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ……………………………………... 27

3.1 Research Design …………………………………………………………. 27

3.2 Research Instrument ……………………………………………………… 28

3.3 Procedures of Collecting Data …………………………………………... 28

3.3.1 Reading …………………………………………………………………. 28

3.3.2 Interpreting …………………………………………………………….. 28

3.3.3 Triangulating ..………………………………………………………. 29

3.3.4 Identifying …………………………………………………………….. 29

3.3.5 Inventorying ………………………………………………………….... 29

3.3.6 Reporting ………………………………………………………………. 30

3.4 Procedure of Analyzing Data ……………………………………………... 30

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IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ……………………………………. 32

4.1 The Construction of Gender Role Concept ……………………………….. 32

4.1.1 Society and Gender Roles ……………………………………………… 34

4.1.2 Gender Role Socialization ……………………………………………. 41

4.1.2.1 Gender role socialization through giving advices……………………… 42

4.1.2.2 Gender role socialization through making plans ……………………… 49

4.1.2.3 Gender role socialization through becoming role model ……………. 53

4.2 The Consequences of Gender Role Differences that Profoundly Affect

the Quality of Individual Lives …………………………………………. 55

4.2.1 The Consequences of Gender Role Differences toward Women ………. 56

4.2.1.1 Economic dependency ………………………………………………. 57

4.2.1.2 Dependency on decision making …………………………………….. 61

4.2.2 The Consequences of Gender Role Differences toward Men ………….. 64

4.2.2.1 Economic pressures …………………………………………………… 64

4.2.2.2 Psychological pressures ……………………………………………… 67

V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ………………………………. 70

5.1 Conclusions ………………………………………………………………... 70

5.2 Suggestions ……………………………………………………………….. 71

BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………….

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APPENDICES ………………………………………………………………… 75

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is about introduction of the final project which consists of six sub-

chapters. They are background of the study, reasons for choosing the topic,

statement of the problems, objectives of the study, significance of the study, and

the last one is outline of the study report.

1.1 Background of the Study

Gender is one of the basic categories in social life. Talking about gender, it

automatically corresponds to male and female. People can easily identify whether

someone is male or female based on his or her costumes, attributes, attitudes, and

also gestures. However, gender actually does not just refer to person divided into

male or female. There are different ways in viewing gender in society. Men must

act a certain way and females must too. That is called a gender assignment /

gender role (Ryan, 2009).

A gender role is society‘s concept of how men and women are expected to

act which are shaped by norms or standards. Because humans create the concept

of gender socially, gender is regarded as a social construction. Day by day,

continuous production of gender has been called doing gender (West and

Zimmerman, 1987), meaning that gender is made by us in everyday lives in our

interactions with others through the process of socialization.

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Gender socialization is a tendency for males and females to be socialized

differently. Males are raised to conform to the male gender role and females are

raised to conform to the female gender role. Then the way people think and

behave are two products of socialization. However, the presence of gender role

creates stereotype in society. This stereotype means that male and female need to

follow their specific gender roles in order to be socially accepted. For example,

the qualities for men are considered to be masculine, strong and independent.

Meanwhile, for women, the women‘s qualities include femininity, beauty,

respectability, nurturing, motherly, dependence, caretaker, and loving. In the

domestic chores, parents sometimes expect children of different gender perform

different kind of tasks; boys are assigned to do maintenance chores, such as

moving the lawn and girls are assigned to do the cooking or doing the laundry

(Basow in Witt, 1997). This segregation of tasks by gender leads children to think

that some tasks are more male and some more female (Witt, 1997). If male and

female do not follow these certain characteristics, they are often shunned and

socially unaccepted. However, as children grow up into adolescence, there will be

many things that will influence their attitudes and behaviors regarding gender

roles. These kind of attitudes and behaviors are normally learned in a family and

are reinforced in many other ways. It could be learned from their peers, mass

media, technology, and also workplace.

The first and one of the strongest influences on a person‘s in perceiving

gender role concept is his or her parents. Parents start early in treating their sons

and daughters differently. For example, they are more likely to allow their sons to

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try new things and activities and tend to fear more for the safety of girls.

Moreover, traditionally, fathers tend to teach their sons how to fix and build

things while mothers tend to teach their daughters how to cook, sew, and keep

house. Children then receive parental approval when they conform to gender

expectations. However, gender differences sometimes have created inequalities,

both for male and especially for female.

Gender is one of social issues which are not only discussed on television,

newspaper or even mass media, but it can also be found in plays or dramas.

Kennedy (1983: 812) says that drama is a narrative art, one of several modes in

which mankind has learned to present a story. Due to literature as a product of the

society, people believe that drama has the possibility in adopting the values

dominant in society and provides important proves on the process of gender role

construction. One of the most prominent dramas that I have read in discussing

gender role construction is a drama entitled The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee

William.

The aspects of society may appear in literature. The content and shape of

literary works are influenced by the social condition of a certain period in which

literary work is written. In fact, there is a relationship between sociology and

literature. Literature is a reflection of socio cultural environment. According to

Endraswara, literature may be seen as the mirror of society. It is not just the copy

of reality, but it is the interpreted reality (Endraswara, 2003: 78). In addition,

Welleck and Warren (1985: 95) state that literature is an expression of society. It

can be inferred that a work of literature can reflect the life of society. To Sum up,

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sociology in literature is an essential approach dealing with the study of society,

social institution, social process, or how a society carries on the life through a

literary work. The main point of analyzing the sociology of literature is to find out

the cultural aspects of society which is reflected in a literary work.

The Glass Menagerie is one of the dramas written by Tennessee William

in 1945. It is the most autobiographical of all William‘s plays. William set the

play in the late 1930s during the Great Depression era, a time of extreme

economic crisis. It portrays gender role values of Southern American culture

presented by using the description of gender role construction process which

occurs in Wingfield‘s family.

In this study, I am going to discuss about the social construction of gender

role concept toward the children and the consequences of gender role differences

that profoundly affect the quality of individual lives as represented in The Glass

Menagerie play.

1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic

The topic Social Construction & Impact on Individual Quality: A Portrait of

Gender Role in The Glass Menagerie Play is chosen based on the following

reasons:

1) The issue of gender roles is one of the popular topics to be discussed and it

also becomes international interest. First of all, it happens all over the

nations not only in America but also in other countries. Even in Indonesia,

we can easily find the practice of gender role construction through the

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agents of socialization around us. Secondly, gender role issues leave so

many problems in life. It has created gender inequalities both for male and

especially for female.

2) The topic is very interesting to be discussed and analyzed since it talks

about gender roles and also what people do and respond to gender roles

around them.

3) The drama contains many interweaving issues, such as personal,

economic, and social, especially about the roles of the socialization agents

in constructing the concept of gender roles.

1.3 Statements of the Problem

The problems of this study are stated as follows:

1) How is the gender role concept constructed toward the children as

represented in The Glass Menagerie play?

2) What are the consequences of gender role differences that profoundly affect

the quality of individual lives as reflected in the play?

1.4 Objectives of the Study

Based on the problems that will be discussed in this final project as stated above,

the objectives of this study are:

1) To explain how the gender role concept constructed toward the children as

represented in The Glass Menagerie play.

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2) To identify the consequences of gender role differences that profoundly

affect the quality of individual lives as reflected in the play.

1.5 Significance of the Study

For the readers in general, this study will be very useful for them in

comprehending the play entitled The Glass Menagerie, especially those who are

interested in the case of gender role construction process and consequences of

gender role differences.

For students of English Department, especially for the students of English

Literature, the result of the study is expected to be able to give some benefits.

First, this study is expected to be a reference for those who are interested in

analyzing drama especially a drama which concerns about gender roles. The role

of the agents of socialization in constructing gender role concept toward the

children will be the main concern of this study. In addition, this study will also

reveal life consequences of gender role differences towards male and female

characters. Second, since this drama is closely related to social life, it can help

students to open their mind and to make them to be more critical with their

surroundings. Moreover, it will also enable them to enrich their knowledge,

especially about the process of constructing gender role and its consequences on

quality of individual lives.

1.6 Outline of the Study Report

In order to present clear descriptions about the study to the readers, this study is

presented in a systematic organization as follows:

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Chapter I covers background of the study, reasons for choosing the topic,

statements of the problem, objectives of the study, significance of the study and

outline of the study report.

Chapter II talks about review of related literature. It contains the definition

of drama, gender, gender role, gender stereotype, socialization, gender

socialization, agents of socialization, sociology and literature, framework of

analysis.

Chapter III discusses about research methodology, which consists of

research design, research instrument, procedure of collecting data, procedure of

analyzing data.

Chapter IV is the analysis. It contains the descriptions of the answer to the

statement of problems.

Chapter V offers conclusion and suggestions. This chapter contains

conclusion of this study and suggestion for readers.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The second chapter presents the theories underlying the topic of the study. This

chapter consists of review of previous studies, theoretical background, and

framework of analysis.

2.1 Review of Previous Studies

There are several previous studies which have similar object material. One of

them was the research conducted by D. Brent Barnard (2007) entitled The

Symbolism of Tennessee William‘s The Glass Menagerie. His research focused on

the symbols which are provided in the play and carry certain meaning. Barnard

analyzes each character in turn, explicating those symbols which pertain to him or

her; thereafter, he shows how these symbols interact as the play draws to a close.

In conducting the research, he used an Inductive Approach. He also explained that

virtually every element of the play serves as a symbol which amplifies the

struggle between Laura and all she signifies and the forces ranged in opposition to

her. According to him, William, the author of The Glass Menagerie expressed

himself in the language of symbols. They were not ornaments to his work, but

were to his mind the only satisfactory means of expressing himself as an artist,

and predate almost every other consideration in the process of composition.

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Characterization, dialogue, plot and setting were all selected based on their

potential to represent symbolically his

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identity and experience. However, before transforming his life into symbols, he

attempted to abstract the world of his experience into something pure, something

elemental and universal.

Another research conducted by Purwanti (2013). In her research, she

focused on examining Tennessee William‘s The Glass Menagerie based on

Roland Barthes‘ five codes. The research method that she used is library research

which belongs to qualitative research. The main theory is structuralism using the

theory of the five codes by Roland Barthes. The play is chosen because it is rich

of symbols, connotation meaning, culture and binary opposition that may be open

or unraveled in a lot of different ways in the story. Another reason is because it

presents how the American family struggle to face the Great Depression. The

result shows that The Glass Menagerie is rich with the proairetic, hermeneutic,

cultural, semic and symbolic code of Roland Barthes. She expects that readers

will understand the meaning of the text. She also wants to make the readers

understand how a big event can make a big impact to the life.

There are also several previous studies which have similar object formal.

One of them was the research conducted by Sarah A. Chartschlaa (2004) entitled

External Influences of Children's Socialization to Gender Roles. Her research

focused on the North American society in which certain roles are prescribed on

boys and girls according to their gender. The purpose of her study was to

investigate the effect of childhood on adults' opinions of gender roles. It was

hypothesized that this study would lend support to the theory that family has an

influential role in determining one's views of gender. However, the findings did

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not support the hypothesis that college students from non-traditional families

would hold more non-traditional gender role stereotypes than children from

traditional families. Moreover, some conclusions were drawn. For example,

fathers perceive girls as softer and therefore more sensitive to harsh rebuke than

sons. This perception is usually carried on into adolescence when fathers are more

likely to reprimand their sons than their daughters. The fact that fathers were more

likely to hold their daughters than their sons is also a trend that carries on into

adolescence.

Another study conducted by Campbell Leaper (2013). In the research

entitled Parents’ Socialization of Gender in Children, Leaper focused on

analyzing possible ways that parents might influence children‘s gender

development include role modeling and encouraging different behaviors and

activities in sons and daughters. According to Leaper, one of the challenges for

researchers studying parental socialization is to separate the influences of parents

on children and the influences of children on parents. Thus, drawing conclusions

about causal influences of parental socialization on children‘s gender development

must be made carefully. Well-conducted longitudinal research is best able to

address possible casual influences. The relative importance of parents compared

to other socializing agents (peer groups, media, teachers, etc.) needs to be

examined in more depth. In addition, more research needs to consider indirect

forms of parental influence. For example, by encouraging children‘s involvement

in organized activities (e.g., sports teams, science camps), parents can affect their

children‘s experience outside of the family. Finally, we need a better

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understanding of how cultural contexts shape gender roles in the family and the

socialization of girls and boys.

This study aims at enriching the collection of studies which had been

conducted or written previously. Moreover, the research topic of this study is

different from the previous researches which have been mentioned above. Thus,

by conducting an investigation of the research entitled Social Construction &

Impact on Individual Quality: A Portrait of Gender Role in the Glass Menagerie

Play, hopefully I can contribute to the English Department literary study,

especially on drama and literature in general.

2.2 Theoretical Background

2.2.1 Definition of Drama

Drama is literature written for performance. It deals with an action about the story

in human life which is presented or performed by the actors on the stage. In line

with the statement according to Perrine as stated on Encyclopedia Americana

(1997:333), drama is a form of literature intended for performance by actors. In

general, the subject matter is narrative which tells a story of human life through

the action and speeches of the characters and then presents the conflict.

Drama also differs from short stories and novels because it is made to be

performed and presented the conflict of human in form of dialogue and is

presented by using conversation and action on the stage in front of the audience.

In this case, Aristotle supports the idea by telling that drama is a criticism of life,

on a stage, with action, characters, and dialogue. Furthermore, Hornby

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(1995:351) says that drama is a play for the theatre, radio or television, the art of

writing and presenting plays. It means that drama or play is a form of literature

acted out by performers through their dialogues which present stories.

Drama is a kind of literary works that can be enjoyed not only through the

performance, but also the script itself. It means that the readers can enjoy the story

provided in drama through reading the script. A script is defined as a written

version of a drama which is presented in a form of dialogues among the characters

and can be read by people before being acted in performance on the stage.

In this final project, in order to make this study easier to be understood, I

limit the definition of drama. I will present the study of drama only as a kind of

literary works in a form of script and apart from stage performance. Hopefully,

this will lead the readers to be more creative and imaginative in comprehending

the story of the drama through the process of reading the script carefully which

will enable them to set the stage in their own mind.

According to Alexander W. (2012), drama can be divided into two general

groups, realistic and non-realistic drama. Realistic tries to be as close to reality as

possible while non-realistic introduces highly un-traditional stories, characters,

settings, acting styles, etc.

Drama was an ―imitation of an action‖; that is, each play represents a

significant and discrete series of actions that make up a complete story in the lives

of the major characters. To achieve the outcome of the action, a playwright must

introduce restrictions and non-realistic conventions that support the presentation

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of the story. Thus, those are what they called realistic and non-realistic drama

(Aristotle, 2010).

In realistic drama, the playwright seeks to create an illusion of reality. The

situations, problems, characters, dialogue, and other elements are all those that

might genuinely exist in the real world. Moreover, actors speak like regular

people, sets feature contemporary architecture, and plots are written in a way that

makes the audience believe that they can actually happen in somebody's life. In

realistic drama, the characters can be representative, or even symbolic, but they

must sound and act like human beings (Aristotle, 2010).

In non-realistic drama, a playwright presents essential features of character

and society through techniques that do not try to mirror life. It employs whatever

conventions the playwright finds useful. It can be full of devices that break

through the illusion on the stage (or the page) and scream out that the play is a

play – a work of art, a stylized imitation of something remotely connected to life.

In non-realistic drama, the characters can be nameless figures who have no

background or motivation and who drop in and out of character as the playwright

wishes. In addition, a non-realistic drama is one that plays on poetic theories and

things that don't fall into the social norm. It rejects the way society thought

(Aristotle, 2010).

2.2.2 Gender

There are some definitions and explanations about gender. It usually refers to the

culturally and socially constructed differences between females and males found

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in the meanings, beliefs, and practices associated with femininity and masculinity.

Virtually everything social in our lives is gendered. People continually distinguish

between males and females and evaluate them differently. Gender is an integral

part of the daily experiences of both women and men (Schaefer, 2005).

Gender is constructed in individual, interactional, and structural ways to

create environmental constraints and opportunities that usually gives more benefit

for men than women. More research is beginning to explore how gender interacts

with other characteristics such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social

class to affect diverse family experiences (Coltrane, 1998:8). Since gender is

constructed, these findings are what one would expect, and they serve to make our

understanding of all the factors that create gender more complete. According to

sociologists, social and cultural processes, not biological givens, are the most

important factors in defining what females and males are, what they should do,

and what sorts of relations do or should exist between them.

In line with above statements, Perry (1999:8), the author of Gender and

Art states that gender is defined as the cultural construction of femininity (female)

and masculinity (male). To most people, gender means whether or not a person is

a male or female. However, gender is not just about that. People are surrounded

by gender everyday. Gender constantly surrounds people, whether it be in the

clothes people wear, the actions people make, or even in the art people view.

Gender is almost always represented in arts – there are feminine and masculine

aspects depicted in the piece of work. Gender is socially constructed (Sadie,

2009).

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In conclusion, gender is social construction of being male and female.

Gender is determined by the conception of tasks, function and roles attributed to

women and men in society.

2.2.2.1 Gender Role

Gender role refers to the attitudes, behavior, and activities that are socially

defined

as appropriate for each sex and are learned through the socialization process. Most

often, gender roles are not based on biological or physical imperatives, but rather

resulted from stereotypes and presumptions about what men and women can and

should do. Gender roles of women for example are femininity, beauty, respectful,

nurturing, motherly, housewife, dependent, caretaker, and loving. Men are

considered to be masculine, strong, and independent. If men and women do not

follow these certain characteristics, they are often shunned and socially

unaccepted (Ryan, 2009).

In line with that, in Social Psychology, Zanden (1984:445) stated that

gender roles are sets of expectations that define the ways in which the members of

each sex should behave. Men usually are typically stereotyped as dominant,

independent, competitive, self-confident, aggressive and logical. Then women are

as submissive, dependent, emotional, affectionate and nurturing. Gender roles

frequently elicit from men and women‘s behaviors that confirm their stereotypes.

2.2.2.2 Gender Stereotype

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Gender is a social construction with important consequences in everyday life.

Gender stereotypes hold that men and women are inherently different in attributes,

behavior, and aspirations. Stereotypes define men as strong, rational, dominant,

independent, and less concerned with their appearance. Women are stereotyped as

weak, emotional, nurturing, dependent, and anxious about their appearance.

A gender stereotype consists of beliefs about the psychological traits and

characteristics as well as the behaviors appropriate to men or women. Gender

roles are defined by behaviors, while gender stereotypes are beliefs and attitudes

about masculinity and femininity.

Traditionally, the female stereotypic role is to marry and have children.

The female is supposed to put her family‘s welfare before her own, be loving,

compassionate, be caring, and be nurturing. Moreover, female is also supposed to

be beautiful. The male stereotypic role is to be the financial provider. The male is

also to be assertive, competitive, independent, and courageous.

Gender stereotypes are very influential. They affect conceptualizations of

women and men and establish social categories for gender. These categories

represent what people think. It can be very powerful forces in judgments of self

and others.

2.2.3 Socialization

Socialization is the process by which people learn characteristics of their group‘s

norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors. Through socialization we learn the culture

of the society in which we have been born. Socialization continuous throughout

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life. It does not end during childhood. As we mature, we take on new roles and

statuses. There are three main stages of socialization in life; they are primary

socialization, secondary socialization, and adult socialization, as explained below:

1. Primary Socialization

Primary socialization includes all the ways the newborn is molded into a social

being capable of interacting and meeting the expectations of society. Most

primary socialization is facilitated by the family. It is the learning we

experience from the people who raise us.

Children learn how to talk, interact with others, and grow up to be like

older family and friends they know. Younger children do not have strong

abstract reasoning skills until adolescence, so they rely heavily on the judgment

of their caregivers. Most importantly, they form significant attachment to the

older people who care for them.

2. Secondary Socialization

Secondary socialization occurs in later childhood and adolescence when

children go to school and come under the influence of non-family members.

Adolescents tend to form strong attachments to groups of friends, and the

socializing influence of peers increases in relation to the influence of family

and school during this period in their lives.

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Although young people become more peer oriented in adolescence, this

does not mean that they are alienated from their families. Young adolescents,

especially, often quarrel with their parents about little things – dress, neatness,

chores, and etc., but they generally agree with their parents on bigger issues,

such as the importance of education, religion, or political activism. (Richard

Gelles, Levine, 1999).

3. Adult Socialization

Adult socialization occurs as we assume adult roles such as wife, husband,

parent, or employee. We adapt to new roles which meet our needs and wants

throughout the adult life course.

By the time adulthood is reached, primary and secondary socialization

have been almost completed. People have an image of the self, both real and

ideal; have some commitment to the norms and values of the society; have

certain degree of self-control; and are willing to subordinate to some personal

desires to society‘s impersonal rules. In other words, adults have learned the

main ways their groups and society so that they are able to function within

them. Many new social roles must be learned in adulthood, and for this reason

socialization will continue throughout life.

2.2.3.1 Gender Socialization

The way people think and behave are two products of socialization. Through

socialization they also learn what is appropriate and proper for both genders.

Socialization is the process, through which the child becomes an individual

19

respecting his or her environment, laws, norms, and customs (Crespy, 2003:2).

Gender socialization is a more focused form of socialization. It is how children of

different sexes are socialized into their gender roles and taught what it means to

be male or female.

Gender socialization begins at the moment people were born. We learn our

gender roles by agencies of socialization, which are the ―teachers‖ of society. The

main agencies in the society are the family, peer groups, schools and the media. In

respect with gender socialization, each of the agencies could reinforce the gender

stereotypes. (Crespy, 2003:6). He also adds that gender differences are the result

of the socialization process, especially during people‘s childhood and

adolescence.

2.2.3.2 Agents of Socialization

Gender roles are one of the products of the interactions between individuals and

their social environments through the process of socialization. This process gives

individuals cues about what sort of behavior is believed to be appropriate for what

sex. Appropriate gender roles are defined according to a society‘s beliefs about

differences between the sexes.

There are gradual movements from one stage of socialization to the next.

The continuing lifelong socialization process will affect the construction of

gender-role concept. In fact, the socialization process involves many different

social forces that influence our lives and alter our self-images, such as family,

peer group, mass media and technology, and workplace (Schaefer, 2005: 91).

20

Those kinds of social institutions are commonly called as the agents of

socialization. The detail explanation about them will be presented as follows:

1. Family

There is no better way to start than to talk about the role of family in our social

development, as family is usually considered to be the most important agent of

socialization. As infants, we are completely dependent on others to survive.

Our parents, or those who play the parent role, are responsible for teaching us

to function and care for ourselves. They, along with the rest of our family, also

teach us about close relationships, group life, and how to share resources.

Additionally, they provide us with our first system of values, norms, and

beliefs - a system that is usually a reflection of their own social status, religion,

ethnic group, and more.

2. Peer Group

Peer group refers to a group of people who have an equal social status and are

usually of similar age. In childhood, peer groups are formed largely by

accident. Later in life, more choice is involved. The peer group influences

socialization more and more with every year of childhood. Peer groups are

especially influential in adolescence. Adolescent peer groups are very

important in helping young people to end the period of dependence on adults.

In addition, peer groups give us an opportunity to form relationships with

21

others on our own terms and learn things without the direction of an adult. Our

peers give us a chance to develop many of the social skills we need later in life.

3. Mass Media and Technology

In modern societies, the mass media and technology have come to play an

extremely important role in socialization. It includes television, internet, radio,

movies, books, and magazines. The mass media unquestionably play a

significant role in providing a collective experience for members of a society.

The mass media can bring together members of a community or even a nation

by showing important events, ceremonies, and many more. In addition, the

media often reaffirm proper behavior by showing what happens to people who

act in a way that violates societal expectations.

4. Workplace

The workplace is one of the agents of socialization. A new job brings with it

new norms and values. The employing organization also has its own values.

The socialization process involves learning how strictly the company enforces

work-related norms, such as whether it is acceptable for people of different job

levels to fraternize outside of working hours, or whether a very late arrival will

incur some kinds of punishment. During the socialization, people learn how to

modify behavior to fit the new situation.

2.2.4 Sociology and Literature

22

Literary criticism has various shapes and purposes. One type of literary criticism

is sociological criticism. Its focus is on society as a whole. This criticism tries to

assess the social factors found in a piece of work, which may be everything from

the attitudes a writer experiences from his or her social background or the society

at the time of the works created. Sociology mainly studies about the interaction

and the relationship between people within society.

There are many definitions of sociology which are different from one to

another. Zgourides (2001:1) defines that sociology is the scientific study of human

groups and social behavior. Sociologists focus primarily on human interactions,

including how social relationships influence people‘s attitudes and how societies

form and change.

The aspects of society may appear in literature. The content and shape of

literary works, then, are influenced by the social condition of a certain period in

which the literary work is written. In this case, a literary work may be seen as a

reflection age. It becomes a witness in a period as well as a product of imagination

of the author. It is in line with Welleck and Warren (1985) who define that

literature is an expression of society. Based on the statement, it can be concluded

that a literary work can reflect the life of society. By reading or analyzing a

literary work, people can get a picture of what happens in the society since

literature is a reflection of life. That‘s why literature is becoming a part of human

life.

Literature and sociology have something in common. Pospelov (1967:534)

defines that literature is an art that develops in human society throughout the ages

23

quite independently of sociology, whereas sociology is a science which purpose is

to discover the objective laws of social life in all its manifestations including

creative art. From this point of view I conclude that sociology and literature have

a strong relationship. Sociological criticism analyzes both how the social

functions in literature and how literature works in society. It is used to understand

literature in its larger social context. This approach considers the social and

cultural aspects of society in a literary work. It explores the relationship between

literature and society. To sum up, the main point of analyzing the sociology of

literature is to find out the interrelation among society which is reflected in a

literary work.

Sociologists view society in different ways. Some see the world basically

as a stable and ongoing entity. They are impressed with the endurance of the

family and other social institutions. Some others see that the most fascinating

aspects of the social world are the everyday, routine interactions among

individuals that we sometimes take for granted. Social role theories have offered

accounts of the process by which people learn gender and develop their minds,

their perceptions, their personalities, and their values. This is the principle that

men and women behave differently in social situations and take different roles due

to the expectations that society puts upon them.

Social role theory recognizes the historical division in labor between

women, who often assumed to hold responsibilities at home, and men, who often

assumed to hold responsibilities outside the home. As a consequence of the

concomitant sex differences in social behavior, the expectancies of men and

24

women began to diverge (Eagly, 1987). Accordingly, the behavior of men and

women is governed by the stereotype of their social roles.

The discipline of sociology also accepts conflict theory of gender as one

valid way to gain insight into society. Sociologists argue that society composed of

many groups in conflict. Conflict sociologists see a social world in continual

struggle. The conflict perspective assumes that social behavior is best understood

in terms of conflict or tension between competing groups. Conflict theories of

gender view the sexes are in some ways competing interest groups (Collins,

1971). Gender roles are beneficial to men, as their role as the main breadwinner

gives them more power. And the history of family, they point out, is basically the

history of the domination of men over women. Many scholars who have studied

the history of the family from a conflict perspective believe that gender inequality

was the first main social inequality in human history.

Dealing with sociology in literature, there are at least three perspectives in

doing research to a literary work as explained by Endraswara (2003: 80). The first

one is literary text perspective. It means that the researcher analyzes the literary

work as a reflection of social life and vice versa. The sociological context of the

literary work is being explained. The second one is a biographical perspective. In

this type, a researcher makes an analysis on the author. It relates with the life

history and social background of the author. The third one is respective

perspective. It refers to readers‘ responses toward a literary work.

In conclusion, sociology in literature is essentially a research dealing with

a study of society, social institution, social process, or how a society carries on the

25

life through a literary work. Furthermore, the aim of sociology in literature is to

get the complete perspective about the reciprocal relation between author, literary

work, and society. In conducting this study, I did the analysis based on the literary

text perspective of Endraswara.

2.3 Framework of Analysis

The framework of analysis used in this study is based on library research and

reading some related sources, such as theoretical books, articles, essays, and

journals. In addition, it also uses theories which are relevant to analyze the data

and answer the statements of problem dealing with the topic of this study.

I will focus on the social construction of gender role and life consequences

of gender role differences as the main concern of this study. I apply sociological

approach in answering the statements of problem. To support the analysis, I use

social role theory proposed by Alice Eagly (1987). According to this theory, the

social structure is the underlying force for the gender differences. Social role

theory recognizes sex-differentiated behavior is driven by the division of labor

between two sexes within a society. As a result, it creates gender roles which in

turn lead to gendered social behavior.

Gender construction is something that does not exist independently in the

natural world, but is an invention of society instead. To support the analysis, I also

use conflict theory of gender proposed by Randall Collins (1971) that deals with

the consequences of gender role differences. Conflict theory does not deny the

presence of differentiation by gender. In fact, conflict theorists contend that the

26

relationship between females and males has been one of unequal power, with men

in a dominant position over women. This theory is used because it tends to view

gender role differences as producing gender inequalities both for male especially

for female as reflected in Tennessee William‘s The Glass Menagerie play. To

make it simple and easy to be understood, I present the framework of analysis in a

form of diagram as the following:

InterpretiInfhfhms

The Glass Menagerie

The social construction of gender role

toward the children in The Glass

Menagerie play

(Social role theory)

The consequences of gender role

differences that profoundly affect the

quality of individual lives as reflected in

the play

(Conflict theory of gender)

Reading the script

Interpreting the data

Collecting the data

Analyzing the data

27

Conclusion

27

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In order to get the main point of the study, it should have certain method of

research. This chapter deals with research methodology that consists of research

design, research instrument, procedure of collecting data, and procedure of

analyzing data.

3.1 Research Design

The type of data in this research is qualitative which merely focuses on the

analysis of textual data. Sharan B. Merriam, as cited by Cresswell (1994:145),

states that a qualitative researcher is interested in process, meaning, and

understanding gained through words or picture. Furthermore, she also says that a

qualitative research is an interpretative research. The biases, values, and judgment

of a researcher are stated explicitly in the research report. In this study, I analyzed

and interpreted all data through certain process of data collection and data analysis

to describe the process of a social construction of gender role. Moreover, I used

descriptive method to analyze the statements of problem. In fact, qualitative

research does not focus on numerals or statistic, but gives most attention to how

deep the researcher‘s knowledge toward the interaction among the concept which

is being learnt (Miles and Huberman, 1994:1). Qualitative research adopts a

person-centered holistic and humanistic perspective to understand human life

27

experiences without focusing on the specific concepts (Field & Morse, 1996:8). It

aims at understanding

28

the richness and complexity of social experience by attending closely to the

actions, interactions, and social contexts of everyday life.

The object of this study is the script of the drama entitled The Glass

Menagerie written by Tennessee William. It consists of VII scenes which were

published in 1945. The data of this research will be presented in form of words

and sentences in dialogues among the characters.

3.2 Research Instrument

The instrument of this research was the observation sheets which consist of notes

and also manual transcription of the play. In the observation sheets, the data

selections were in a form of conversations presented in the dialogues which were

considered important in answering the statements of problem.

3.3 Procedure of Collecting Data

The procedure of collecting data in this study is divided into several steps:

3.3.1 Reading

Since the object of the study is a script of drama, the first step in collecting data

was reading the script itself. The script of the drama was read carefully several

times. By doing these steps, it enabled me to reach the deeper understanding of

the whole content of the story and also helped me to get important information

which were needed to answer the statements of problem.

3.3.2 Interpreting

After reading the script of the drama several times, I interpreted the whole

29

story and tried to find out the problems which may become the main concern of

this study. Then, I decided two kinds of problem found in the script as the

statements of problem which were going to be analyzed.

3.3.3 Triangulating

To make sure that the data were valid, I consulted the interpretation to the

research advisor. When the data were approved by the research advisor, it means

that the data were considered as valid because they were already approved by the

expert of the literary analysis.

3.3.4 Identifying

In the process of data identification, I used underlining, bracketing, and

numbering to identify the data which were in a form of words, sentences, phrases,

utterances, and also paragraphs which were related to the topic being discussed or

analyzed. The data would help me to answer the statements of problem.

3.3.5 Inventorying

This step referred to listing the identified data by using table. The table consisted

of columns of data number, quotation from the script of the drama, the data

location, and answering question in ―Statements of the problem‖ number.

30

Table 3.1

Sample of Inventorying Table

Data

Number

Quotations

Data Location

Answering

Problem

Number Page Scene Line

1 AMANDA. They knew how to

entertain their gentlemen callers.

It wasn‘t enough for a girl to be

possessed of a pretty face and a

graceful figure- although I

wasn‘t slighted in either respect.

She also needed to have a nimble

wit and a tongue to meet all

occasions.

754 I 26-31 1

2 AMANDA. I remember

suggesting that it would be nice

for your sister if you brought

home some nice young man

from the warehouse.

765 V 53-55 2

3.3.6 Reporting

The last step was reporting the data. The data were reported in a form of detail

analysis that answered the whole problems as represented in ―statements of the

problem‖.

3.4 Procedure of Analyzing Data

The data were then analyzed to answer the statements of problem by using

sociological approach. To explain how the social construction of gender role

concept toward the children as represented in The Glass Menagerie play, I applied

social role theory. This theory offered accounts of the process by which people

learn gender and develop their minds, their perceptions, their personalities, and

31

their values. This is the principle that men and women behave differently in social

situations and take different roles due to the expectations that society puts upon

them.

In this drama, mother plays an important role in constructing gender role

concept. It is because mother acts as one of the influential agents of socialization

who has already adopted gender role values existed in society. The mother in this

drama is originally from a genteel Southern family. She talks frequently about the

tales of her youth in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, and about her seventeen

gentlemen callers. Accustom to the life of a Southern belle, she often discusses

what women and men should and should not do, and proper social conduct is

defined according to her Southern upbringing. Therefore, mother gives strong

influences on children in perceiving their gender role concept.

In answering the second problem, I applied conflict theory of gender that

deals with consequences of gender role differences that profoundly affect the

quality of individual lives as reflected in The Glass Menagerie play. Conflict

theorists tend to see power and economic differentials between men and women.

According to this view, throughout history men used their superior strength and

women‘s vulnerability to create institutions that supported and maintained male

power and also created great dependency of female on male figure. In fact,

unequal position and economic power heightens gender-based social inequalities.

70

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

In this chapter, I present the conclusions of the study. It encompasses the main

points of the study that have been discussed. Besides, it provides some

suggestions as encouragement for the next study, especially for those who want to

conduct a research with similar topic.

5.1 Conclusions

In The Glass Menagerie play, gender role socialization has great influence in the

realization of gender role concept. This socialization is conducted by mother in

some ways. It can be through giving advices, making plans, and also becoming

role model toward her children. She sets certain standards that she wants her

children to follow based on the values she adopted in society around her. In fact,

parent exerts strong influences on person in perceiving their gender role concept.

Masculine and feminine are quite conventional and the expectation

connected to each gender become important to fulfill. They have to follow this

certain standards to be socially accepted. However, the presence of gender role

gives impacts on the quality of individual lives. It creates different gap toward

men and women existence because women tend to be more powerless and

subordinate to men. As a result of this, there will be great dependency of women

on men figure, especially on economic dependency and dependency on decision

72

making. Moreover, the entire drama focuses on gender division which makes the

sexes stand sharply apart. As a result, this condition also leads men to undergo the

pressures for being the breadwinner of the family during the economic crisis. Men

tend to undergo the economic pressures and psychological pressures. In fact,

unequal position and economic power heighten gender-based social inequalities.

5.2 Suggestions

By conducting this study, I expect to give some contributions to the readers,

especially for the students of English Literature. There are some suggestions

derived from this study which will be presented as follows:

1. Conducting a research in Literature on the topic of gender and its role are

strongly recommended because they are closely related to social life.

Moreover, it can be very useful for the students to open their mind and to

make them more critical with their surroundings.

2. Reading and analyzing literary works are very important for the students

of English literature. It can help them to sharpen their ability in analyzing.

Moreover, it will also enable them to enrich their knowledge about the

literary works they study.

3. It may be necessary for the students to conduct research on the same topic

by viewing it from other gender perspectives. I expect this research can be

used as reference for those who will conduct further discussion and also

further study on the similar topic.

73

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Summary of “The Glass Menagerie”

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play, and its action is drawn from the

memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. The play is set in St. Louis in 1930s

during the Great Depression era. Tom is an aspiring poet, but is forced to work at

a shoe warehouse in order to support his mother, Amanda, and his crippled sister,

Laura. His father abandoned the family long time ago. He sent a postcard from

Mazatlan, Mexico that simply read: ―Hello - and Good-bye!‖ and no address.

With the absence of the father, their home has become emotionally and financially

stagnant.

Amanda is originally from a genteel Southern family. She talks frequently

about the tales of her youth in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, and about her

seventeen gentlemen callers. Accustom to the life of a Southern belle, Amanda

often discusses what women and men should and should not do, and proper social

conduct is defined according to her Southern upbringing. She is disappointed that

Laura, who wears a brace on her leg is painfully shy, does not attract any

gentlemen callers. Laura has no hopes or ambitions for her future. She quits her

typing class because she is too shy to take the speed exam. Laura‘s apparent

interest seems to be only on her old music records and her glass menagerie, a

collection of animal figurines. Amanda discovers that Laura‘s crippling shyness

has led her to spend her days wandering the city alone. Amanda then decides that

Laura‘s last hope must lie in marriage.

77

Amanda and Tom discuss Laura‘s prospects, and Amanda asks Tom to

keep an eye out for potential suitors at the warehouse. Tom scoffs at the idea at

first, but by evening he informs his mother that a gentleman caller will be visiting

the following night. Tom selects Jim O‘Connor, a casual friend, and invites him to

dinner. Amanda prepares an elaborate dinner and insists Laura to wear a new

dress.

At the last minute, Laura learns the name of her caller; as it turns out, she

had a memories on Jim in high school. When Jim arrives, Laura answers the door,

on Amanda‘s order, and then quickly disappears, leaving Tom and Jim alone. In

their conversation, Tom confides to Jim that he has used the money for his

family‘s electric bill to join the merchant marine and plans to leave his job and

family in search of adventure.

Amanda welcomes Jim and they are all having dinner together, except

Laura. She refuses to eat dinner with the other. Wearing an ostentatious dress

from her glamorous youth, Amanda talks vivaciously with Jim throughout the

dinner. As dinner is ending, the lights go out as a consequence of the unpaid

electric bill. Amanda encourages Jim to entertain Laura in the living room while

she and Tom clean up. Laura is at first paralyzed by Jim‘s presence, but his warm

and open behavior soon draws her out of her shell. She confesses that she knew

and liked him in high school but was too shy to approach him. They continue

talking, and Laura reminds him of the nickname he had given her: ―Blue Roses‖,

an accidental corruption of pleurosis, an illness Laura had in high school. He

reproaches her for her shyness and low self-esteem but praises her uniqueness.

78

Laura then shows him one of her favorite glass animal collections, a unicorn. Jim

dances with Laura, but in the process, he accidentally knocks over the unicorn,

breaking off its horn. Laura forgives Jim and realizes that now her unicorn is like

normal horse just same as the other glass animals she has. Jim then kisses her, but

he quickly draws back and apologizes, explaining that he is carried away by the

moment and that he actually has a serious girlfriend. Resigned, Laura offers him

the broken unicorn as a souvenir.

Amanda enters the living room, full of good cheer. Jim hastily explains

that he must leave because of an appointment with his fiancée. Amanda sees him

off warmly. After he is gone, she turns on Tom and accuses him for being

inattentive and also selfish dreamer. The fact that Jim is already engaged hurts

Laura so much. Amanda yells at her son for not telling her that Jim is already

engaged. Her hope and ambition for Laura to get a husband is smashed. Not long

after Jim‘s visit, Tom gets fired from his job and leaves Amanda and Laura

behind. He runs away to join the merchant marine. Years later, though he travels

far, he finds that he is unable to leave behind guilty memories of Laura.

79

Observation Sheets

List of Supporting Data to Answer Statements of Problem

number I and II

Data

Number

Quotations

Data Location

Answering

Problem

Number Page Scene Line

1 LAURA: I couldn‘t face it.

AMANDA: … we won‘t have a

business career – we‘ve given

that up because it gave us

nervous indigestion! [Laughs

wearily]. What is there left but

dependency all our lives? I know

so well what becomes of

unmarried women who aren‘t

prepared to occupy a position.

I‘ve seen such pitiful cases in the

South – barely tolerated spinsters

living upon the grudging

patronage of sister‘s husband or

brother‘s wife! – Stuck away in

some little mouse-trap of a room

– encouraged by one in-law to

visit another little birdlike

women without any nest – eating

the crust of humility all their

life!

Is that the future that we‘ve

mapped out for ourselves?

I swear it‘s the only alternative I

can think of! It isn‘t a very

pleasant alternative, is it?

Of course – some girls do marry.

757 II 7 1

2 AMANDA: Girls that aren‘t cut

out for business careers usually

wind up married some nice man.

[Get up with a spark of revival]

757 II 73 1

80

Sister, that‘s what you‘ll do.

3 TOM : What?

AMANDA: Oh, I can see the

handwriting on the wall as plain

as I see the nose in front of my

face! It‘s terrifying! More and

more you remind me of your

father! He was out all hours

without explanation! – Then left!

Good-bye! And me with the bag

to hold.

763 IV 63 1

4 TOM: What are you doing?

AMANDA: I‘m brushing that

cow-lick down! What is this

young man‘s position at the

warehouse?

TOM: [submitting grimly to the

brush and the interrogation].

This young man‘s position is

that of a shipping clerk, Mother.

AMANDA: Sounds to me like a

fairly responsible job, the sort of

a job you would be if you just

had more get up. What is his

salary? Have you any idea?

TOM: I would judge it to be

approximately eighty-five

dollars a month

AMANDA: Well – not princely,

but –

TOM : Twenty more than I

make.

766 V 73 1

5 AMANDA: I mean that as soon

as Laura has got somebody to

take care of her, married, a

home of her own, independent.

763 IV 75 1

6 AMANDA: … My callers were

gentlemen –all! Among my

callers were some of the most

prominent young planters of the

Mississippi Delta – planters and

sons of planters!

There was young Champ

754 I 38 1

81

Laughlin who later became vice-

president of the Delta Planters

Bank. Hadley Stevenson who

was drowned in Moon Lake and

left his widow one hundred and

fifty thousand in Government

bonds. And there was that boy

that every girl in the Delta had

set her cap for! That beautiful,

brilliant young Fitzhugh boy

from Greene County!

7 AMANDA: Hadley Stevenson

who was drowned in Moon Lake

and left his widow one hundred

and fifty thousand in

Government bonds. There were

the Cutrere brothers, Wesley and

Bates. Bates was shot through

the stomach. Died in the

ambulance on his way to

Memphis. His widow was also

well-provided for, came into

eight or ten thousand acres,

that‘s all.

754 I 50 1

8 AMANDA: … I wasn‘t prepared

for what the future brought me.

All of my gentlemen callers

were sons of planters and so of

course I assumed that I would be

married to one and raise my

family on a large piece of land

with plenty of servants. But man

proposes – and woman accepts

the proposal!

TOM : Yes, Mother?

773 VI 78 1

9 Late in the winter and in the

early spring- realizing that extra

money would be needed to

properly feather the nest and

plume the bird – she conducted a

vigorous campaign on the

telephone, roping in subscribers

to one of those magazines for

758 III 26 1

82

matrons called The Home

maker‘s companion.

10 AMANDA: Resume your seat,

little sister – I want you to stay

fresh and pretty – for gentlemen

callers!

LAURA: I‘m not expecting any

gentlemen callers.

AMANDA: No, dear, you go in

front and study your typewriter

chart. Or practice your shorthand

a little. Stay fresh and pretty! –

It‘s almost time for our

gentlemen callers to start

arriving. How many do you

suppose we‘re going to entertain

this afternoon?

LAURA: I don‘t believe we‘re

going to receive any, Mother.

754 I 87 1

11 AMANDA: He‘s not right-down

homely, though?

TOM: Not right-down homely

just medium homely, I‘d say.

AMANDA: Character‘s what to

look for in a man.

767 V 40 1

12 AMANDA: One Sunday

afternoon in blue Mountain –

your mother received –

seventeen –gentlemen callers!

Why, sometimes there weren‘t

chairs enough to accommodate

them all. We had to send the

nigger over to bring in folding

chairs from the parish house.

754 I 10 1

13 TOM: I don‘t see why you have

to think at all.

AMANDA: You just don‘t

know. We can‘t have a

gentleman caller in a pig-sty. All

my wedding silver has to be

polished, the monogrammed

table linen ought to be

766 V 11 1

83

laundered! The windows have to

be washed and fresh curtains put

up. And how about clothes? We

have to wear something, don‘t

we?

14 AMANDA: I understood the art

of conversation!

TOM: I bet you could talk.

AMANDA: Girls in those days

knew how to talk, I can tell you.

754 I 18 1

15 AMANDA: They knew how to

entertain their gentlemen callers.

It wasn‘t enough for a girl to be

possessed of a pretty face and a

graceful figure – although I

wasn‘t slighted in either respect.

She also needed to have a nimble

wit and a tongue to meet all

occasions.

TOM: What did you talk about?

AMANDA: Things of

importance going on in the

world! Never anything coarse or

common or vulgar…. My callers

were gentlemen – all!

754 I 26 1

16 AMANDA: [Calling from

kitchenette] Laura, are you going

to do what I asked you to do, or

do I have to get dressed and go

out myself?

LAURA: Going, going – soon

as I get on my coat! Butter and

what else?

AMANDA: Just butter tell them

to charge it.

LAURA: Mother, they make

such faces when I do that.

AMANDA: Sticks and stones

can break our bones, but the

expression on Mr. Garfinkel‘s

face won‘t harm us!

761 IV 48 1

84

17 AMANDA: [Impatiently] Why

are you trembling?

LAURA: Mother, you‘ve made

me so nervous!

AMANDA: How have I made

me nervous?

LAURA: By all this fuss! You

make it seem so important!

AMANDA: I don‘t understand

you, Laura. You couldn‘t be

satisfied with just sitting home,

and yet whenever I try to arrange

something for you, you seem to

resist it.

769 VI 25 1

18 AMANDA: … I know your

ambitions do not lie in the

warehouse, that like everybody

in the whole wide world –

you‘ve had to – make sacrifices,

but – Tom – Tom – life‘s not

easy, it calls for – Spartan

endurance! There is so many

things in my heart that I cannot

describe to you!

TOM: [Gently] I know that,

Mother.

AMANDA: and you – when I

see you taking after his ways!

Staying out late – and – well,

you had been drinking the night

you were in that – terrifying

condition!

762 IV 75 1

19 AMANDA: Do you realize he‘s

the first young man we‘ve

introduced to your sister? It‘s

terrible, disgraceful that poor

little sister has never received a

single gentleman caller!

766 V 21 1

20 AMANDA : You have five

minutes. I want to talk to about

Laura.

[LEGEND: ―PLANS AND

PROVISIONS.‖]

763 IV 49 1

85

… We have to be making plans

and provisions for her. She‘s

older than you, two years, and

nothing has happened. She just

drifts along doing nothing. It

frightens me terribly how she

just drifts along … I mean that

as soon as Laura has got

somebody to take care of her,

married, a home of her own,

independent.-… I say for your

sister because she is young and

dependent. I put her in Business

College – a dismal failure! … I

took her over to the Young

People‘s League at the church.

Another fiasco. She spoke to

nobody, nobody spoke to her.

Now all she does is fool with

those pieces of glass and play

those worn-out records. What

kind of a life is that for a girl to

lead?

21 AMANDA: I remember

suggesting that it would be nice

for your sister if you brought

home some nice man from the

warehouse. I think that I‘ve

made that suggestion more than

once. TOM: Yes, you have

made it repeatedly.

765 V 53 1

22 AMANDA: Honey, you go ask

Sister if the supper is ready! You

know that Sister is in full charge

of supper!

… It‘s rare for a girl as sweet

and pretty as Laura to be

domestic! But Laura is, thank

heavens, not only pretty but also

very domestic.

773 VI 64 1

23 AMANDA: Laura – rest on the

sofa. Well! [To the gentleman

caller.] …Standing over the hot

774 VII 35 1

86

stove made her ill! – I told her

that it was just too warm this

evening, but –

24 [AMANDA produces two

powder puffs which she wraps in

handkerchiefs and stuffs in

LAURA‘s bosom]

LAURA: Mother, what are you

doing?

AMANDA: They call them

―Gay Deceivers‖!

LAURA: I won‘t wear them!

AMANDA: you will!

LAURA: why should I?

AMANDA: Because, to be

painfully honest, your chest is

flat.

LAURA: you make it seem like

we were setting a trap.

AMANDA: All pretty girls are a

trap, a pretty trap, and men

expect them to be.

769 VI 38 1

25 AMANDA: [Laughing, off]. I‘m

going to show you something.

I‘m going to make a spectacular

appearance!

LAURA: What is it, Mother?

AMANDA: Possess your soul in

patience – you will see! I‘ve

resurrected from that old trunk!

Styles haven‘t changed so

terribly much after all. Now just

look at your mother! [She wears

a girlish frock of yellowed voile

with a blue silk sash. She carries

a bunch of jonquils – the legend

of her youth is nearly revived

feverishly].

769 VI 66 1

26 TOM: This is our father who left

us long time ago. He was a

telephone man who fell in love

with long distances; he gave up

his job with the telephone

753 I 25 2

87

company and skipped the light

fantastic out of town. The last

we heard of him was a picture

postcard from Mazatlan, on the

Pacific coast of Mexico,

containing a message of two

words- ―Hello – good bye! And

no address.

27 AMANDA: That Fitzhugh boy

went North and made a fortune –

came to be known as the Wolf of

Wall Street! He had the Midas

touch, whatever he touched

turned to gold! And I could have

been Mrs. Duncan J. Fitzhugh,

mind you! But – I picked your

father!

754 I 74 2

28 AMANDA: [very, very gaily]

Laura, that is your brother and

Mr. O‘Connor! Will you let the

in, darling?

LAURA: [Breathlessly] Mother

– you go to the door! Please,

please

AMANDA: [In a fierce whisper]

what is the matter with you, you

silly thing?

LAURA: [Desperately] Please,

you answer it, please!

AMANDA: I told you I wasn‘t

going to humor you, Laura. Why

have you chosen this moment to

lose your mind?

LAURA: Please, please, please,

you go!

771 VI 13 2

29 AMANDA: What right have you

got to jeopardize your job?

Jeopardize the security of us all?

How do you think we‘d manage

if you were –

759 III 61 2

30 AMANDA: … I‘m not standing

here blindfolded very well, then.

763 IV 71 2

88

Then do it! But not till there‘s

somebody to take your place.

TOM: What do you mean?

AMANDA: I mean that as soon

as Laura has got somebody to

take care of her, married, a home

of her own, independent – why,

then you will be free to go

wherever you please, on land, on

sea, whichever way the wind

blows you! But until that time

you‘ve got to look out for your

sister.

31 AMANDA: You have five

minutes. I want to talk to about

Laura.

[LEGEND: ―PLANS AND

PROVISIONS.‖]

… We have to be making plans

and provisions for her. She‘s

older than you, two years, and

nothing has happened. She just

drifts along doing nothing. It

frightens me terribly how she

just drifts along … I mean that

as soon as Laura has got

somebody to take care of her,

married, a home of her own,

independent.-… I say for your

sister because she is young and

dependent. I put her in Business

College – a dismal failure! … I

took her over to the Young

People‘s League at the church.

Another fiasco. She spoke to

nobody, nobody spoke to her.

Now all she does is fool with

those pieces of glass and play

those worn-out records. What

kind of a life is that for a girl to

lead?

763 IV 49 2

32 AMANDA: That‘s right, now

that you‘ve had us make such

fool of ourselves. The effort, the

784 VII 15 2

89

preparations, all the expense!

The new floor lamp, the rug, the

clothes for Laura! All for what?

To entertain some other girl‘s

fiancé! Go to the movies, go!

Don‘t think about us, a mother

deserted, an unmarried sister

who‘s crippled and has no job!

33 TOM: Every time you come in

yelling that God damn ―Rise and

Shine!‖ I say to myself, ―How

lucky dead people are!‖ but I get

up. I go!

759 IV 73 2

34 AMANDA: Most young men

find adventure in their careers…

The world is full of young men

employed in warehouses and

offices and factories… they do

or they do without it! Not

everybody has a craze for

adventure.

763 IV 18 2

35 TOM: … For sixty-five dollars a

month I give up all that I dream

of doing and being ever!

759 III 76 2

36 TOM: … And you say self –

self‘s all I ever think of. Why,

listen, if self is what I thought of,

Mother, I‘d be where he is –

GONE!

759 III 78 2

37 AMANDA: And you – when I

see you taking after his ways!

Staying out late – and – well,

you had been drinking the night

you were in that – terrifying

condition! Laura says that you

hate the apartment and that you

go out nights to get away from

it! Is that true, Tom?

762 IV 84 2

38 TOM: House, house! Who pays

rent on it, who makes a slave of

759 III 10 2

90

himself to –

AMANDA: [Fairly screeching]

don‘t you DARE to –

TOM: No, no, I mustn‘t say

things! I‘ve got to just –

AMANDA: Let me tell you –

TOM: I don‘t want to hear

anymore!

39 AMANDA: Where are you

going?

TOM: I‘m going to the movies!

AMANDA: I don‘t believe that

lie!

TOM: … Mother, I‘ve joined

the Hogan gang, I‘m a hired

assassin, I carry a tommy-gun in

a violin case!… Oh I could tell

you things to make you

sleepless! My enemies plan to

dynamite this place…. You‘ll go

up, up on a broomstick, over

Blue Mountain with seventeen

gentlemen callers! You ugly –

babbling old – witch.

760 III 84 2

91